GRATA International with Buren N.V. is hosting online-conference on Doing business in the AIFC vs Doing business in Netherlands.

We would like to invite you to join our international online-conference which will be held on the 24^th of June 2021.

Participation is free.

Time: 15.00 - 17.30 (Nur-Sultan time).

The program will be held in English.

Key speakers from GRATA International: Maxim Burak, Partner of GRATA International, Aruzhan Aimak, Senior Associate of GRATA International.

Online-conference will address:

• What is AIFC? Why enter the AIFC?
• Acting law of the AIFC.
• Registration of a company in the AIFC.
• Corporate governance of companies in the AIFC (on an example of a private company).
• Advantages of setting up a company in AIFC in terms of corporate governance.
• How can GRATA help you?
• Q&A

GRATA Nur-Sultan will take part in the Astana Finance Day 2021

On July 1-3, 2021, a conference will be held within the framework of Astana Finance Days.

Astana Finance Days (AFD) is one of the largest financial conferences in the region, held annually by the Astana International Financial Center. 

The conference starts at 10:00 (Nur-Sultan time).

AFD speakers and participants will be representatives of local and foreign government agencies, international organizations, business, professional and scientific community.

Maxim Burak, Partner and Aruzhan Aimak, GRATA Senior Lawyer, Kazakhstan (Nur-Sultan) will speak at the Workshop in the panel session: AIFC Legal Conference with the topic: “Reconstruction involving the amalgamation in the AIFC Jurisdiction”.

At the end of the session, a question-and-answer section will be held, where listeners can directly ask questions of interest to speakers.

More details in the program → 

GRATA and Samruk-Kazyna Ortalygy LLP will hold a seminar

On June 28, 2021, GRATA International is holding a practice-based online seminar on the topic: "The work of the conciliation commission, conciliation procedures and the basics of negotiation in the settlement of individual labor disputes" together with Samruk-Kazyna Ortalygy LLP.

The purpose of the seminar: Obtaining information on the mechanism of creation and work of the conciliation commission, as well as on the most common grounds for employees to apply to the conciliation commission.

Speaker: Marina Kolesnikova, Labor Law Counsel, GRATA International Law Firm, Almaty.

Time: 10: 00-17: 00 (time of Nur-Sultan).

Participation is paid.

The workshop is intended for:

1) members of the conciliation commission (representatives of employees and representatives of the employer);

2) HR leaders, HR managers;

3) Associates.

To register for seminar, contact Esdauletova Tolkyn by phone: 8727 329 1983/ 8777 282 1000 or by e-mail: sdckz@bk.ru

Samat Daumov, Partner of GRATA International became a member of the Young President Organization Kazakhstan

Samat Daumov, Partner, Representative of GRATA International in the UAE became a member of the worldwide Young President Organization (YPO), which unites young and successful businessmen, top managers of the largest companies in the world.

Today, globally, the organization has more than 26 thousand members from more than 130 countries, the total revenue of the companies of which is about $9 trillion, which exceeds the GDP of many countries.

This is an international closed club of businessmen where the criteria are quite serious, and you can only get into it with the general agreement of the members of the local chapter. The Kazakh club has about 30 members.

GRATA International in IFLR1000’s banking and finance rankings

IFRL1000 has released its first of four group rankings as part of its 31^st edition. Practice areas covered by this release include asset finance, banking and finance, bank lending, financial restructuring, financial services regulatory, and project finance.

GRATA’s banking and finance teams in Kazakhstan and Russia were included in the rankings among the leading law firms in the following practice areas:

Kazakhstan
Banking and Finance – Other notable

Russia
Banking – Tier 5

GRATA International partner in the UAE won the international jiu-jitsu tournament in Dubai

On June 4-5, 2021, the International Jiu-Jitsu Tournament was held in Dubai, UAE.

Samat Daumov, Partner, Representative of GRATA International in the UAE, won the gold AJP TOUR UAE NATIONAL PRO tournament, organized by the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation (UAEJJF).

In total, Samat Daumov had three fights, of which he finished two ahead of schedule.

Samat has been actively involved in jiu-jitsu for several years, in 2019 he became the World Champion in Abu Dhabi.

More detailed information and the fights themselves can be viewed on the official

website →

GRATA International held a conference: Topical issues of antitrust regulation

On June 1, 2021, GRATA International conference was held with the participation of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine offices, specializing in: Antitrust and Competition law.

At the conference, the experts analyzed: types of anticompetitive agreements, clarifications of the Supreme Court on antitrust legislation, the concept, and types of abuse of a monopoly position, unfair competition, and more.

The webinar recording is available on our YouTube Channel:

Session 1 →

Session 2 →

GRATA International Uzbekistan held a webinar Doing Business in Uzbekistan

On June 3, 2021, a webinar: "Doing Business in Uzbekistan" in cooperation with the European Business Association in Kazakhstan was held.

The speakers were: Nodir Yuldashev - Partner, Rustam Akramov - Counsel, Tatyana Popovkina - Senior Associate, GRATA International Uzbekistan.

The webinar was considered such issues as:

1. Tax system of residents and non-residents.
2. Guarantees to foreign investors.
3. Hiring foreign personnel
4. Special economic zones.
5. Licensing regime.
6. Judicial system.

The speakers’ presentation can be viewed at the link →

GRATA Mongolia held a Doing Business webinar

On May 27, 2021, leading experts from GRATA International held an online webinar on Doing Business in Mongolia.

The webinar was moderated by Bolormaa Volodya, Partner of the GRATA Mongolia.

Speakers addressed Doing Business issues such as:

• Taxation.
• Investment incentives.
• Social insurance.
• Work permit.
• Enforcement proceedings.
• Investment environment.
• Investment form.
• Legal forms of legal entities.
• Regulated industries.

Speakers answered questions of interest to the audience and spoke up with presentations:

Bolormaa Volodya, Partner of GRATA Mongolia with the topic: "Investment environment of Mongolia and legal forms of legal entities".

Buyanjargal Tungalag, Associate of GRATA Mongolia with the topic: "Taxation and social insurance obligations".

Solongo Gansukh, Associate of GRATA Mongolia with the topic: "Work permit and court proceedings in Mongolia".

GRATA International Belarus and St. Petersburg jointly held a video lecture

On May 26, 2021, Junior Associate of GRATA International, Belarus Angelina Romanchuk together with an Counsel, Associate of GRATA St. Petersburg law office held a video lecture on the “Entry of a Belarusian construction company to the Russian market” for the magazine “Lawyer in Construction”.

Pavel and Angelina spoke about the algorithm for a Belarusian company to enter the Russian construction market and considered in detail the main problematic issues of construction companies on foreign markets.

GRATA Belarus took part in the German-Belarusian Economic Club

On June 9, 2021, Natalia Zhuk, Senior Associate at GRATA International, Belarus, spoke at the German-Belarusian Economic Club with a detailed analysis of the novels regarding the legislative regulation of export and import operations in connection with the adoption of a new version of the law on foreign exchange regulation and foreign exchange control in Belarus.

Natalia Zhuk revealed the concept of currency transactions and the grounds for their conduct, through the prism of comparative analysis, she spoke about the procedure for repatriating currency values (before - after July 9, 2021) and separately dwelled on the risks of introducing currency restrictions by authorized state bodies.

The event also paid attention to such issues as:

• General principles of registration of foreign exchange contracts,
• Purchase of securities abroad without violating the currency legislation of Belarus.

GRATA International held another working group meeting on Personal Data in Kazakhstan

On June 11, 2021, the GRATA International law firm held the working group on the topic: "Overview and discussion of forthcoming changes to personal data protection legislation" at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of France-Kazakhstan.

The speakers of the meeting were: Leila Makhmetova - Partner; Zarina Malikova – Associate of GRATA International, Almaty.

The meeting discussed such issues as:

• List of normative legal acts, which are planned to be amended.
• State registration of rights to real estate.
• The right to own image.
• Service for controlling access to personal data.
• Key functions of the service.
• Availability of personal data.

The speakers' presentation can be found here. (in Russian)

Chikanayev Shaimerden, Partner of GRATA Almaty spoke at the seminar: Gas Market Reform along the Belt and Road

On June 17, 2021, an online seminar "Gas Market Reform along the Belt and Road" was held.

Shaimerden Chikanayev made a presentation on the reform of the gas market in Russia and Kazakhstan.

The following issues were considered at the seminar:

1. Major issues of the gas market
2. Why Urgent Gas Market Reforms are Needed?
3. Third party access
4. Gas pricing and tariff regulation
5. Unbundling

The speaker's presentation is available here →

GRATA held an online conference: Topical issues of Contract law

On June 17, 2021, the GRATA offices in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan held an international conference: Topical issues of Contract law.

During the conference, international commercial agreements, foreign trade transactions, forms of construction contracts FIDIC and others issues were discussed.

Each session was completed with a Q-A section, where speakers answered questions of interest to the audience.

The recording of the conference is available on our YouTube channel.

GRATA International and Steptoe law firms held a joint webinar: "The Impact of Recent Developments and Restrictions on Companies Doing Business in the US, Russia and CIS"

On June 17, 2021, a joint webinar with Steptoe law firm was held.

The webinar was discussed issues on international trade, international arbitration and anti-corruption issues affecting companies doing business in the United States.

Vyacheslav Khorovskiy, Managing Partner of GRATA Moscow office was a webinar moderator.

Key topics included:

• Forced labor import restrictions being rolled out against imports from China and potential broader restrictions.
• Recent developments in anti-corruption enforcement.
• Investor-state arbitration developments potentially relevant to CIS companies and governments.
• Recent developments in US-Russia sanctions.